Livestock News

Written by: Farmers Guide

Posted: October 15, 2014

Vaccination goes on working in piglets

CIRCOVAC vaccination for piglets goes on working rightacross the fattening period according to a study on Danish farms. The researchlooked at eight units which had vaccinated their piglets with CIRCOVAC at 3 weeksof age for at least six months. 1

Serum samples were taken on each farm from four groupsdefined by weight. The growth stages that were tested were: 30 to 35 kg, 40 to50 kg, 60 to 70 kg, and 80 to 100 kg. No PCV2 DNA was identified in any of thesamples

Callum Blair, Merial Animal Healths Pig TechnicalManager says: This research clearly shows the efficacy of CIRCOVAC incontrolling PCV2 when used to vaccinate piglets. The fact that the results werenegative in all the weight groups demonstrates that the vaccine carries onworking through to finishing.

These results are consistent with previous researchpublished in 20102 which showed significant differences in terms ofaverage weight gain as well as viral load in sera and faeces between piglets vaccinatedwith CIRCOVAC and those given a placebo, and then challenged at 17 weeks.

The demonstration of the ability to control PCV2 virusloads for extended periods helps to support other recent work that showedsignificant improvements in Average Daily Weight Gain, particularly infinishers, when piglets were vaccinated with CIRCOVAC.

All these studies give a clear indication that CIRCOVAC goes on working in piglets for the duration of the fattening period, and thatit is an excellent choice for piglet vaccination for PVC2 control.